Short answer: For a paid tour, 10 to 20% of the tour price is customary. For a "free" walking tour, $10 to $20 per person is fair, since tips are the guide's entire pay. With no cash on you, the options are: scan the guide's code, tip through the booking platform, ask for a payment app, or ask where the nearest cash machine is.
How much to tip a tour guide
| Situation | Usual tip |
|---|---|
| Free walking tour, two hours | $10 to $20 per person |
| $60 half-day group tour | $6 to $12 per person |
| Private full-day guide | 10 to 20% of the price |
| Coach driver on a day tour | $2 to $5 per person, separately |
These are customary amounts in the United States, in US dollars. They are a guide, not a rule: tip more for exceptional service.
Do you have to tip a tour guide?
On a free tour, yes: many guides pay the tour company a fee for every person who turns up, so a guest who leaves nothing costs them money. On a paid tour it is customary in North America and optional elsewhere.
Can you tip a tour guide by card?
Rarely. The tour ends on a street corner or outside a museum, the group breaks up within a minute, and the guide has no terminal. Travellers also tend to be the people with the least local cash.
4 ways to tip a tour guide without cash
- Scan the guide's code. Many guides now show a QR code at the end of the tour. It takes any card, including a foreign one, with Apple Pay or Google Pay.
- Tip through the booking platform. Some platforms email a tip link after the tour.
- Ask for a payment app. This works if you share a country: Venmo in the US, Revolut or PayPal in Europe.
- Ask where the nearest cash machine is. Guides know, and they will not mind waiting.
What a tip QR code does
If a tour guide shows you a QR code, point your phone camera at it. A payment page opens in your browser, you choose an amount, and you pay with Apple Pay, Google Pay or a card. You do not install anything or create an account, and it works with cards from other countries.
If you cannot tip on the day
Ask the guide for their name and tour company and tip by the company link later. Then leave a review that names them: for most guides, named reviews decide who gets the next shift.
Outside the United States
Customs vary widely. Guides in the US, Canada, Mexico and Egypt expect a tip. In much of Europe it is appreciated and less automatic. In Japan it is not customary, though guides who work with foreign visitors will accept one.
Do you work as a tour guide?
Your customers are visitors. They carry a foreign card and no local coins, and your office is a pavement. Payment apps do not cross borders: a guest from Germany cannot Venmo you. The group scatters within sixty seconds of "that is the end of the tour".
See how tour guides take card tips with a QR code: where to put it, what to write on the sign and how to mention it.
Common questions
How much should I tip a tour guide?
For a paid tour, 10 to 20% of the tour price is customary. For a "free" walking tour, $10 to $20 per person is fair, since tips are the guide's entire pay.
Do I have to tip a tour guide?
On a free tour, yes: many guides pay the tour company a fee for every person who turns up, so a guest who leaves nothing costs them money. On a paid tour it is customary in North America and optional elsewhere.
Can I tip a tour guide with a card or Apple Pay?
Rarely. The tour ends on a street corner or outside a museum, the group breaks up within a minute, and the guide has no terminal. Travellers also tend to be the people with the least local cash.
What if I have no cash to tip a tour guide?
Ask the guide for their name and tour company and tip by the company link later. Then leave a review that names them: for most guides, named reviews decide who gets the next shift.